The Soapbox | Where South Africans Speak Out

Shoe god Salvatore Ferragamo only designed one style of shoes for men in his lifetime. Andy Warhol owned a pair of said shoes. He also went on to paint in them. In 2006, the Ferragmo family bought the pair of now paint-specked shoes at an auction. In 2010, the Ferragamo label is selling authorized copies of the shoe, reports T Magazine. The faux-stained shoes are available at the flagship store in New York and retail for about R7400.

Whether most people agree with it or not, Victoria Beckham is an influential fashion personality. For any young designer,having her wear one of your dresses would be amazing. Having her copy your dress would be another story. Vogue is reporting that a flowing wrapped column dress with internal corset by designer Osman Yousefzada has been the “inspiration” for a similar dress from Victoria’s New York catwalk collection. While many of us would be mad, the designer is extremely flattered that he’s been inspirational. When commenting on his design, which he created by wrapping a bathroom towel around first to get the shape, Osman told the magazine: “I like to dress powerful, confident women so it’s great to think the dress might have inspired her.”

It’s been announced that former Elle SA beauty editor Zanele Kumalo has been appointed as the new beauty editor of Marie Claire SA. Kumalo will head up the Johannesburg bureau of Associated Magazines along with editor Aspasia Karras and senior editor Zodwa Kumalo-Valentine. From the official press release on iFashion, Zanele said, “I am really excited to join the Marie Claire team at a time when it’s growing its editorial presence in Johannesburg… and I am proud to be associated with a title that is held in high regard in the beauty industry.” Zanele’s fellow new-appointee Sharon Becker and Aspasia Karras were both colleagues at Elle, published by Associated Magazine’s rival Avusa. Does it seem like there’s something wrong at Elle?

Our fashion columnist, the incognito Green Eyes, blogs about life, love and fabulous fashion at her must-read blog: Skinny Bitches – In The Making.